Psychology/Presentation assignment due by 11/27/12

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Expert: Kristina Luna - 11/26/2012

QuestionDear Kristina,
What does a typical day looks like for you?
What do you like the most about psychology?
What is your education, training, experience?
What was your path? Why?
What would you do differently?
What advice would you give someone thinking about entering psychology?
Do you mind if I stay in touch with you?
Please, Kristina e-mail me at your earliest convenience. I really apreciated. Beata

AnswerBeata,

Sorry for the delay, as I believe that one of your classmates also submitted this assignment, I have copied the responses given to her.

Thank you for your consideration and that you have planned ahead for this assignment. You can continue to remain in contact with me through my website - doctorluna.com

1) What I like the most is interacting with people to help them to meet their goals. What I like the least are the administrative duties required as a private practitioner (i.e. interacting with insurance companies)

2) In my current position, I start my day at a nursing home where I support direct care staff and social workers as well as provide individual therapy to the residents there. Two days a week, for now, I go to my private practice office and see individual therapy clients. After each session, ideally, I write up my session notes and then submit claims to insurance companies.

3) I have a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, and a Doctorate in Psychology (Psy.D.). I have completed a predoctoral internship and post-doctoral residency to complete my formal training and often seek on-going training (CEUs).

4) I took a meandering path to my doctorate because I believed my undergraduate advisers who told me that the only degree of value is a Ph.D., not a Psy.D. If I had wanted a career mainly focused on teaching and research, they would have been correct as the Ph.D. is preferred. As I learned more about the difference between these two and what I wanted to do within the field of psychology (therapy, assessment, and consulting), the more I realized that I wanted a Psy.D.

5) If I were to go back and start my education over again, I would have attended public schools (local community college and state schools) more to decrease my debt load and I would have started pursuing a Psy.D. sooner.

6) Meet with as many people in the field as you can and talk with them about their careers. A great way to do this is by joining your local, state, or national psychological associations.

Kristina Luna

Expertise

I specialize in clinical psychology with particular experience in clinical hypnosis, borderline personality disorder, LGBTQ, and aging. I have not worked with children for several years and would not feel comfortable answering child and adolescent based questions. My interests in adult psychology are fairly diverse, so please, sent me a question and lets see if I can help.

Experience

I have been working in the field of psychology, to some degree, since 1998. Initially, my work was more behaviorally based, but through my educational and training experiences, I have expanded to a more eclectic viewpoint. I have taught introductory psychology and have worked in college counseling. I have also studied hypnosis for several years, completing my dissertation on basic research in hypnosis. Finally, I completed my internship and residency in a transitional treatment program for young adults (18 - 16) with difficulty transitioning from home.

Education/CredentialsDoctor of Psychology 2009
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana, Pennsylvania
Master of Arts in Psychology 2002
MCP Hahnemann/Drexel University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology 1997
Keuka College
Keuka Park, New York